More than 2,300 children have recently suffered the traumatic experience of being forcibly separated from their parents at the United States border. While the president has issued an Executive Order to end the practice of separating children from their parents, we call attention to the critical need that still exists: to support immigrant families who have been negatively affected by the trauma of separation, and who will likely continue to experience considerable adversity in the future, even if reunited with their loved ones.

As public officials and communities turn to reuniting and supporting immigrant children and parents, they face the difficult but essential task of helping these families cope with and recover from trauma caused by separation, detention, and fear of deportation. To respond to the well-documented negative consequences of forcible separation, we offer the following research-based guidance for parents, service providers, communities, and policymakers:

Ensure that the immigrant population does not suffer re-traumatization through detention and deportation practices that risk separating families and cause further psychological harm.

Understanding the impact of trauma and evidence-based trauma treatment and services

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma

Integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices

Actively seeking to avoid re-traumatization

However, providing TIC to immigrant families will require concerted and coordinated efforts by parents, schools, service providers, communities, and policymakers.

Parents, educators, mental health providers, and other adults who come into contact with immigrant families separated through border detention or deportation can provide effective care by understanding and responding to children’s age-related needs and reactions to trauma. For example, adults can help very young children by maintaining regular feeding, eating, and sleeping routines; showing physical affection; and showing patience if the child cries excessively, regresses, develops severe separation anxiety, or exhibits difficulty with self-regulation—all natural responses to early childhood trauma. Most importantly, adults can buffer young children from the adverse effects of this trauma by providing consistent, sensitive care that is responsive to their emotional and physical needs.

Early care and education programs, schools, and communities can help children after they are separated from a parent by ensuring that children and their families have access to services that help them meet their basic needs (e.g., food, shelter, clothing), and by addressing the consequences of trauma. Specifically, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network suggests:

Regularly screening children for exposure to trauma and post-traumatic stress symptoms

Remove barriers that prevent immigrant families from accessing basic social safety net programs, and address “spillover effects” of current immigration policies for the broader Latino community (e.g., discrimination, limited access to support services).